UC Berkeley receives $1.2 million in state funding to train K-12 administrators in DEI

This academic year, the California state government approved the Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative (DELPI) Grant Program as part of its annual budget. Of the $10 million set aside for the program, $1.2 million was given to the University of California, Berkeley School of Education in order to “cultivate diverse educational leaders.”

“Developing a robust pipeline of leaders of color is vital in education, with research highlighting its positive effects on teacher retention, student enrollment in advanced classes, and graduation rates for students of color,” said Michelle Young, dean of the Berkeley School of Education (BSE). “In California, where nearly 4 out of 5 students are students of color, the ripple effect of these positive outcomes is hard to overstate.” 

According to her Berkeley web page, Young previously worked at Loyola Marymount University, where she “created new positions devoted to diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism and justice and embedded that work within the school’s strategic plan.”

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The stated aims of the DELPI program include “to train, place, and retain diverse and culturally responsive administrators in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to improve pupil outcomes and meet the needs of California’s education workforce.” The grant started in September 2023 and will run until June 2027.

As part of the program, BSE has partnered with 10 K-12 school districts in California in an effort to “provide tailored support and guidance to diverse aspiring school leaders.”

“It is indisputable that students having teachers, staff, and school leaders who look like them increases achievement and reaffirms for them the idea that they can do whatever they want in life, including becoming an educator. Plus, we know it helps with staff retention and satisfaction with the workplace,” Tara Gard told Campus Reform. Gard is the Chief Talent Officer of the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).

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Other K-12 administrators were similarly optimistic in their views of DELPI’s potential long-term impacts.

“We are thrilled to be part of this transformative initiative,” Kenneth Hurst, superintendent of the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), said in a BSE press release. “This partnership with UC Berkeley through the Principal Leadership Institute will not only advance the representation of underrepresented backgrounds in educational leadership, but also contribute to a more equitable society for all students in our District and across California.”

Campus Reform has reached out to UC Berkeley, BSE, OUSD, and WCCUSD for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.